


To be Alone

by SerialKillerQueen



Series: The Mind Flayer's Gift [7]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: (just one), Developing Friendships, Other, Post-Shadow Monster | Mind Flayer Possessing Billy Hargrove, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-11 20:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20159518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerialKillerQueen/pseuds/SerialKillerQueen
Summary: Everything is worse in the dark.





	To be Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Stranger Things and its characters do not belong to me. All rights go to their respective owners.

When the sun goes down the sense of isolation worsens, and the paranoia (because it _is_ paranoia and _nothing_ is going to come after him it's _not_) flares up.

He never thought living by himself, living without _Neil_ would be a problem. But while Max and Jane (and lately Henderson and Byers the younger) make a point to be there almost every day, they have to go home eventually. And while he tends to get in bed as soon as they're gone (even if it's 8 o'clock, he's so fucking sad, he's _dependant_ on 14 year olds, so much for his reputation), sleep is a struggle. He lies awake twitching at every sound, real or imagined. He's tried turning on music but then he can't hear anything else and inevitably ends up turning it back off. Usually he then ends up working out in an attempt at exhausting himself -

A knock interrupts his _wonderful_ thoughts and -

"Harrington?"

Said rich boy gives him what he assumes is meant to be a wave (a pretty weak one) while holding a...blanket? A _blanket_ of all things in his hands.

"I...Max said you were..."

The _"Not sleeping because you don't handle being alone well anymore."_ Is left unspoken.

He feels whatever might still be left of his pride rear it's head. 

"I don't need a babysitter _King Steve._"

His face twists slightly, like he's irritated? Stressed? Uncomfortable? Who knows. But then it shifts to something that he thinks is meant to be sly.

"Max is really worried about you."

This _fucker_, knowing his weaknesses. This is what he gets for tolerating (_tolerating_ not enjoying, absolutely not), his company.

"The couch is lumpy, hope you enjoy the neck ache you're going to get."

Harrington just rolls his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to drop a line about how Steve has his own problems and not being alone would be good for him too but I couldn't really find a place that it would fit, they're not really at "deep conversations" level of comfort just yet. 
> 
> I'm honestly very nervous about posting this, I know it's kind of rushed.
> 
> I've never written a ship fic (and I know this barely counts) because I'm aro/ace and while I can read ship fics just fine (and Harringrove is one of the few ships I really, genuinely, feel things about) it's FAR from my comfort zone to write it. There will not be anything explicit ever going on between these two, I MAY, if it fits in a future fic, drop a line about them being together. But I doubt they'll ever be the focus, this is Billy centric and I wanted it to be about his trauma and his coping and his developing relationships with multiple people, so the focus isn't going to shift to just these two.  
As well I'm crazy busy this whole week and kind of drained so the next one may take a bit more time (or it may not I'm not sure). I do think I know exactly what it will be about though! I hope you enjoyed!  
(Several aspects of this were inspired by the many Harringrove fics I've consumed. dropout_ninja and foxgirlontherun also inspired this particular oneshot).


End file.
